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Translation from Dutch

Translation from Dutch

Translation from Dutch

(OP)
I'm working on scanning my 20,000 35mm slides onto the computer and I'm up to a 1989 trip that included a stopover in Amsterdam.  One of the pictures has an image from the side of a city bus of a small boy apparently urinating on some fried potato slices (French Fries in the states).  In big letters (one word per line) it said "VLAAMS FRITES HUIS" and then in small letters "de echte belgische frietman".  I remember taking the picture with the idea that I'd find someone to translate it for me (and maybe? explain the message).  It slipped my mind before I found a Dutch speaker.

Can anyone translate this old ad?

David

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
www.muleshoe-eng.com
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RE: Translation from Dutch

I do not know if any Belgian person will have a look at this, but for the time being I suggest that "VLAAMS" means Flemish and "FRITES" is - you guessed it - frites or deep-fries. "HUIS" is house. So the sentence could be translated into "THE FLEMISH DEEP-FRY HOUSE".

The sentence below is "The authentic Belgian deep-fry man". You probably noticed that the Belgians are a lot better then the French when it comes to French Fries. And beer...

RE: Translation from Dutch

(OP)
Thanks, why Belgian?  Isn't Amsterdam in Holland?  Man I'm confused.

And the picture of the little boy?

David

RE: Translation from Dutch

That's the way it works in Europe. Selling Belgian fries in Holland and German sausages in Finland. And Danish beer in Sweden. And, and, and...  It is all mixed up, more or less. I think it is good. Dutch is similar to "that other language" they speak in Belgium besides French. So I assumed that it was Belgian, but it could as well be Dutch. I cannot tell, but the meaning is as I said.

Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Germany and the UK all have languages that have a common root. And knowing some of the other European languages makes it possible to understand most messages and advertisments without actually know the actual language.

RE: Translation from Dutch

Oh, yes. The little boy.

He is one of the more well-known figures in Europe. His name is "Manneken-Pis" and he is in the Great Square of Brussels where he is constantly letting his water in front of all people. He is better known than the little Mer-maid of Copenhagen. Almost as well-known as the Statue of Liberty. He does probably not pee on the French (Belgian) fries. It just looks that way.

See? You learn a lot when travelling!

RE: Translation from Dutch

(OP)
That is just too broadening for this country boy.

Thank you all for the information.

David

RE: Translation from Dutch

To wrap it up, there is still one open question : What's so special about "Vlaams Frites" (flemish-style fries) anyway?

First, real flemish-style fries are always made of freshly cut potatoes, never the pre-fabricated stuff from the freezer. Second, the potatoes are more thickly sliced than the US or French type fries (sort of halfway between French "Fries" and British "Chips"). Also, I believe they use a special kind of oil to fry them in.

Anyway, try them with mayonnaise. You'll love them.

RE: Translation from Dutch

Here's more to add to the international confusion:  French fries, as Americans know them, are American in origin, and originally were most likely called "Frenched" fries, after a style of cutting vegetables, which style may or may not have had its origin or development in France.  (But the French are famous for their development of cooking skills and techniques.)  You can buy "French-cut" frozen green beans in the market.  This is a long, slender cut, not as long and slender as "julienne" cut.

The one that tickles my sense of word-play is the "country-fried" steak served in the southern and mid-Atlantic states.  I don't really have a problem with "country-fried," but I have often seen it billed as "chicken-fried" steak, which sounds kind of silly.  Linguists could have a ball with that one.  It means steak that is breaded and deep-fried as you would chicken, as opposed to searing it in a frying pan.  But you could have fun with the idea of chickens in the kitchen, frying this steak for the customers out in the dining room.  The modification of the name of this menu item that really cracked me up was when I once saw a menu item billed as "chicken-fried chicken."  Those chickens in the kitchen would go on strike sooner than prepare that one.

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